Spidery

Describing something that resembles a spider or a spider's web, often in terms of its thin, long, and delicate form or its sprawling, intricate structure. This can refer to visual characteristics like thin legs, delicate lines, or complex, interwoven patterns. It can also extend metaphorically to describe things that are fragile, unsteady, or subtly menacing, hinting at hidden complexities or dangers lurking beneath a seemingly innocent surface. The term suggests a sense of fragility, intricacy, and sometimes a touch of the uncanny or unsettling. It can relate to handwriting, drawings, infrastructure, or even personality traits, adding depth and nuance to the description. The defining element is the resemblance to the physical traits, behaviour, or design of a spider.

Spidery meaning with examples

• His handwriting was notoriously spidery, the thin, looping letters a challenge to decipher. The loops of each letter resembled long, thin spider legs, the ink almost fading from the parchment making the task of reading even harder. The delicate nature of his writing, whilst elegant, was certainly difficult to understand, making his notes a puzzle to those who had to read them later.
• The architect designed a spidery bridge, its cables and support beams extending like delicate limbs across the chasm. The structure's thin, tensile design made it look deceptively fragile, though engineers had assured that it was structurally sound. The bridge was made to look quite magnificent as the cables were lit up by the night's sky to really enhance the spidery shape, a testament to their skill and imagination.
• A dense network of spidery veins covered the old woman’s hands, marking the passage of time and the fragility of her skin. The delicate lines were almost translucent and visible under the sunlight reflecting off the surface of her skin. She was extremely frail, even though she had lived to such a ripe old age, the pattern resembling a spider's web, hinting at her history.
• The villain's spidery, claw-like fingers reached out, casting an unsettling shadow that suggested a web of dark plots and a hidden threat. They were clearly capable of manipulating anything, almost as if they could control a puppet by just its strings. His actions were always a source of danger, his gestures adding an ominous quality to his already sinister and threatening nature.